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Tigerheart's Shadow/Chapter 12
Chapter description :Tigerheart wakes up, and feels his heart pounding. And recalls that he dreamed of ShadowClan. He'd been among them, but he had been watching unseen, like a spirit from StarClan. His fellow Clanmates weren't aware that he was present, and wonders if the dream cats would recognize him. He recalls his dream again, and sees Darktail stalking the clearing, while a battle rages on; ShadowClan versus SkyClan. Ivypool fights with SkyClan, her eyes shining with spiteful triumph. Scorchfur shrieks in pain as blood oozes from his flanks. Whorlpaw wails over Snakepaw's body, while Flowerpawbacks away from Hawkwing, his lips drawn back into a snarl, and Snowbird drops to her belly as Leafstar rakes her claws down the she-cat's face, all while Darktail slips from the shadows, urging ShadowClan to fight, never entering the battle. :Tigerheart's pelt ripples, and he pushes himself to his paws. He blinks against the watery dawn light, then glances back at his nest. The pile of leaves he'd slept on was merely gathered beside a tree. The former ShadowClan tom has been traveling for days on end, following the Silverpath by day, then hunting and resting by night. His paw pads ache from walking, and Tigerheart feels even colder each passing day. He had grown numb to the roar and wind of the passing Thundersnake, and eaten prey the monster had killed more than once. However, while thinking, he only guesses it had killed it, for he found the small animals dead near the tracks, body sour with death. Tigerheart was able to taste deer flesh for the first time, but the experience wasn't great. :The dark brown tom feels ashamed at eating crow-food, but it gives time to travel more. He recalls sleeping further from the silver road, avoiding the Twoleg nests that lay. The tabby loner guesses that soon, he'll reach a stop where the Twolegs bustle in and out of the huge Thundersnake. Tigerheart glances at the copse he'd spent the night hunting in, and tastes the air. He's hungry again, but isn't able to detect any prey scents. He pads from the cover of the trees, and into a thin drizzle. The dream he had haunts him, and when he thinks of ShadowClan, guilt worms in his gut. Their former deputy prays for StarClan to watch over his beloved Clan, wondering if he'd left them unprotected. :Fluffing out his pelt against the rain, he focuses his mindset on Dovewing. His mate needs him, and his kits too, which makes him believe he was in the right to leave. Tigerheart wonders if Puddleshine had seen his shadow in way of the sun, but carries on. The amber-eyed tom pushes through wet grass, sliding between two dens before emerging onto the Silverpath. Water pools between the tracks, but the taste is foul, and causes Tigerheart to miss the lake and fresh water. The rain is hardening, and the dampness reaches through his fur. He follows down the train tracks, and sees more Twoleg dens. The loner can smell Thunderpaths, and his ears detect the rumbling of monsters. The track reaches deeper into the earth, and he matches it to a gorge: with the land walls rising on either side, and silver gates guarding the tops. He prays a Thundersnake don't come now, and quickens his pace. :Tigerheart hopes the shiny trail will lead to countryside. Ahead, a stone ledge sits, beside the train tracks, which serves as a stop for the Thundersnake. The rock is slick with rain, and the lone cat scans it nervously, searching for Twolegs, but is relieved at the lack of them. Hurrying past, a single mouse darts in front of him. Tigerheart pricks his ears, reminding himself of his hollow stomach; the tabby tom drops into a crouch. Eyeing it, the mouse scampers over the tracks, and up onto the stone ledge. Briefly, he wonders about following, since the stone is deserted, and might be easy enough. Watching closely, Tigerheart's heart quickens as it makes a dart for safety, and springs into action. The former deputy leaps, jaws closing down on its spine, first catching it with his paws. The warm smell floods his mouth, then suddenly, a pebble clatters on the ground behind him. :Twolegs start to appear, one after another, and Tigerheart is seized with panic. One of them turns and looks at the brown tabby, eyes widening. Before he can think, he races for some shells the Twolegs carry. The objects are stacked as high as ShadowClan's camp walls, and the loner has no problem squeezing between the gaps. He holds his breath, and Twoleg steps grow closer, which he risks catching a glimpse of. Tigerheart observes the ledge, now bustling and alive, and he guesses a Thundersnake's arrival soon. Once it arrives, the dark-eyed cat believes the ledge will calm once more, and all he has to do is wait. One of the Twolegs approach again, causing the hidden tom to draw back. He can see a shell in its pale pink paw, and when it sets the thing down, the other shells shift, then settle. Tigerheart knows nobody can see him, and tends to the mouse, curing his hunger. Swallowing the last morsel, the roar of a Thundersnake touches his ears. :Momentarily, the dark tabby is satisfied, hoping the Twolegs will be gone soon. Settling in deeper, Tigerheart suddenly feels the shells lurch. The rack moves toward the huge monster, and shock spikes his pelt. It rolls over the ledge, with the objects shifting around his body. He attempts to run, but one of the shells crush his tail, pinning him to the spot. The pile rolls into the gloomy Thundersnake, and his striped fur bushes as he spots the gap closing. Around Tigerheart, the bright air stiffens, turning stale. Reaching the gap, he's too late, and paws at it, hoping he could somehow escape. Realizing his situation, the brown tom knows that he's trapped. :Darkness closes around him, and he tastes the air. It is rank, and musty, the scents of Twolegs both stale and faint. He peers from the shell pile, and spots other objects, strapped to the wall, and floor. Tigerheart feels some relief, guessing this part is where Twolegs store their items. The Thundersnake rumbles beneath his paws, and he picks his way from the shells, looking for a way out. Light seeps into the room, and quickly, the tabby tom scrambles onto a hard branch, peering from the monster. Twoleg nests flash past, taller than his memory can make out, but he isn't able to see the tops. Then, he plunges into darkness, and light flickers in its stomach, but blackness is all he can see outside the windows. Tigerheart tries convincing himself that it's just a tunnel, but his claws scrape the hard surface. The Thundersnake slows, and he tries looking for any signs of daylight, but there is no sign of anything. :A harsh glow comes from a stone cave, and the huge monster halts. Tigerheart exclaims about feeling like prey, believing it brought him to its lair. He presses against the floor, swamped with terror, watching as the upright creatures file from the Thundersnake. He freezes, hesitant on what to do, before peering past the Twoleg crowd, spotting another monster. It sits one tree-length away, humming as Twolegs crowd past. Dread crawls through Tigerheart, and he stares, willing to move. Determined, the tabby tom knows he has to be brave for Dovewing, and pelts out into the lair, away from the Thundersnake. Characters Major }} Mentioned *Darktail *Scorchfur *Whorlpaw *Flowerpaw *Snakepaw *Hawkwing *Snowbird *Leafstar *Dovewing }} Notes and references Category:Tigerheart's Shadow Category:Chapter subpages Category:Super Edition arc